TWO The Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon. Thursday. June 15, 1978
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The Heppner
GAZETTE-TIMES
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The Blue' Mountain Community College levy to
be voted on Tuesday, June 27 deserves support.
The College is' requesting a total levy of
$2,067,897. Operating costs eat up $1,906,673 of the
proposed levy, reflecting an increase of just 2.6 per
cent over last year. Bond debt requires $161,224 in
tax monies for the coming year, down some 34 per
cent from last year.
Overall, the figures above show a decrease of
$37,772 over this year's levy which in turn reflects a
drop in the tax rate from $1.88 to $1.84 per $1,000
assessed valuation. The cost per $1,000 will
probably be less than the $1.84 when revaluation of
property in the district is finalized.
Twice defeated, the budget for BMCC has been
trimmed to bare bones with such items as golf and
cross-country track, most of the museum
operations and a full-time instructor position
getting the axe last time around.
To pare the budget anymore would mean
cutting back on some of the academic programs
offered at BMCC. The result here would be a loss in
student tuition and state funding (which combined
provide about 43 per cent of the College's revenue)
which in turn would shift more tax burden on the
local folk.
Something voters should take into consideration
is the fact that BMCC does not have a tax base from
which to operate, making it necessary to get voter
approval of the total tax levy needed each
year. ..What you see on the ballot is what they get.
Before the school can open its doors next fall,
voter approval of the levy is required and we feel
that more would be lost than gained if anymore
budget cuts were made.
tmh
Others Say
The following is a letter sent to President Jimmy Carter by Bil
Ross, President of the Oregon Cattlemen Assn.
You have indicated that
your Administration is consi
dering the lifting of beef
import quotas so more beef
from foreign nations may
enter the United States. You
have stated that these consi
derations are based on the
current level of retail beef
prices. You are certainly
aware that during the past
four years the beef industry of
this nation has suffered bil
lions of dollars in losses due to
below-cost-of-production pri
ces received for cattle. In
Oregon alone last year, 1977,
more than 300 ranch families
were forces out of business
due to low cattle prices and
the worst draught in the
history of the West. It is
estimated that Oregon cattle
producers and feeders suf
fered a hundred million dollar
loss last year. More than 90
per cent of the individuals in
the cattle business in Oregon
and throughout the nation
have been in a dollar loss
position for the past four
years.
It was very evident at the
beginning of this year that our
industry needed substantial
price increases if the cattle
men were to stay in business,
recover some of their losses,
and get our business back on a
sound financial basis.
During the first and second
quarters of this year, a price
recovery became a reality for
our industry. It now appears
that our industry is back on a
sound financial basis, unless
there is government interfer
ence with the market system,
i.e. increased beef imports or
a beef price freeze.
It is important for the
administration and Congress
THE
The Off icial Newspaper of the City of Heppner
and the County of Morrow
Published every Thursday and entered as second-class matter at the Post Office at Heppner, Oregon, under the Act
of March 3, 1879. Second-class postage paid at Heppner, Oregon.
i G.M. Reed, Publisher Dolores Reed, Co-publisher Terry M. Hager, Managing Editor
Rick Steelhammer, News Editor Eileen Saling, Officer Manager
Gayle Rush, Composing Chloe Pearson, Composing Justine Weatherford, Local Columnist
Ron Jordan, Printer
to realize that our industry did
not ask for government guar
antees or subsidies during the
past four years of tremendous
cyclical over-production, cost
inflation, and extreme finan
cial losses. Likewise, the
cattle industry of Oregon and
the nation, expects govern
ment to stay out of our
business as beef supplies
decrease and prices rise and
then stabilize in the months
and years ahead.
We would also like to remind -you,
Mr. President, the Con
gress, the Media, and con
sumer groups that the cost of
beef at the retail level, even at
today's prices, are not high in
comparison to other goods and
services. Since 1960, if beef
prices would have increased
at the same rate as other
goods and services in this
country, the cost of beef today
would be 25 per cent higher
that it now is. Not only does
the U.S. consumer spend less
of his after-tax income on red
meat than any other consumer
in the world, they are also
getting a higher quality pro
duct. Furthermore, beef pri
ces in the U.S. are lower than
in most foreign countries.
Again, Mr. President, the U.S.
consumers are getting one of
the world's best beef bargains.
I am sure you agree, Mr.
President, that the cattle
producers and feeders, who
are also consumers and who
also have been caught up in
the inflationary trend must
make a profit to stay in
business. Must make a profit
to pay off four years of debt.
Must make a profit so that
there is a continued incentive
to stay in business and
produce the quality of beef
ETTE -TIMES
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A. Gene Nelson
Extension Farm Management
Specialist
Oregon State University
The time is quickly ap
proaching when wheat grow
ers must make their decision
regarding final compliance in
the 1978 wheat program.
By participating, growers
become eligible for deficiency
payments and disaster pay
ments on wheat and can
participate in the grain re
serve and qualify for price
support loans. Against these
benefits, the grower must;
weigh the income lost by
destroying planted wheat to
meet the set-aside require
ment which is 20 per cent of
the acreage of wheat for
harvest.
The following table of break
even wheat prices can be used
to help analyze whether to
comply with the program.
This table is designed specifi
cally for the grower producing
only wheat where compliance
requires setting-aside wheat
that would otherwise be har
vested for grain. The tabk
assumes that the cost saver
that Americans have become
accustomed to. However, any
disruption in the free market,
supply-demand system, would
have a devastating affect on
industry incentives. There
would be no incentive to
increase beef production, but
rather it would drive supplies
even lower.
Therefore, on behalf of the
3000-member Oregon Cattle
men's Association, we urge
you and the administration to
allow supply-demand to func
tion without the disasterous
and adverse affects which
additional beef imports would
create at this time.
Bill Ross, President
OregonCattlemen's
Association
J
r
Wheat program explained
by nor harvesting grain on the
set-aside acreage will equal
the costs involved in clipping
or otherwise maintaining the
set-aside acres.
To use the table, you need to
first estimate the deficiency
payment rate per bushel. The
deficiency payment is based
on the difference between the
wheat target price, now at
$3.40, and the national aver
age price for the first five
months of the marketing year
(June-October).
The national average price
for wheat as of mid-May was
$2.80 per bushel, down two
cents from April. If we
assume that this price holds
through October the defi
ciency payment would be $.280
or $.60 per bushel. This
payment rate will be adjusted
by an allocation factor if your
acreage of wheat harvested in
1978 is not reduced by 20 per
cent from 1977 (or 1976 if
BREAK-EVEN WHEAT PRICES FOR COMPLIANCE
IN 1978 WHEAT PROGRAM
Deficiency Expected yield as per cent
payment rate of ASCS normal yield
110 100 90 80 70 60
$perbu. $perbu.
.40 1.82 2.00 2.22 2.50 2.86 3.33
45 2.05 2.25 2.50 2.81 3.21 3.75
.50 2.27 2.50 2.78 3.13 3.57 4.17
.55 2.50 2.75 3.06 3.44 3.93 4.58
.60 2.73 3.00 3.33 3.75 4.29 5.00
.65 2.95 3.25 3.61 4.06 4.64 5.42
.70 3.18 3.50 3.89 4.38 ' 5.00 5.83
Thanks for uniforms
Editor,
On behalf of the High School Band, I would like to thank
everyone that has helped this year with our uniform drive.
The generosity of our town's organizations and individuals is
sincerely appreciated. We would like to express a special
thank you to Cal and Bev Sherman for their extremely
generous personal donation.
Thank You,
JimAckley
odd-even fallow rotation). The
allocation factor can range
from 80 to 100 per cent
depending on the U.S. 1978
harvested acreage of wheat.
The present outlook is that the
allocation factor will be close
to 100 per cent. For this
example, assume that the
allocation factor is 100 per
cent. This would give a
payment rate per bushel of
$.60 (1.0 x $.60).
The next step is to estimate
the expected yield that would
be harvested from the set
aside acres as a per cent of the
ASCS established normal
yield. If your expected yield is
90 per cent of the ASCS yield,
find the column on the table
below and read down to the
line corresponding to the
deficiency payment rate of
$.60 per bushel. The break
even price for wheat for these
assumptions would be $3.33. If
you expect that the farm price
Community
BILLBOARD
Call
676-9228
June 15
Methodist Youth Fellow
ship, 7:30 p.m., United Metho
dist Church
June 17
Morrow County Rodeo
Queen's Coronation, 7:30p.m.,
fairgrounds. Coronation
dance, 9 p.m. to 1 a.m.
Heppner swimming pool
opens 1 p.m.
June 18
Elks picnic, 11 a.m. Cuts
forth Park
that you will receive for your
wheat (after subtracting mar
keting costs) will be below this
$3.33 level for your 1978 crop,
your compliance in the pro
gram would be favored. How
ever, if you believe your
market price will exceed this
break-even price then you
would opt for harvesting the
wheat and not comply in the
program. Remember though
that there is more risk
involved with this alternative.
The wheat program offers
some protection against a low
yeild and low wheat price.
Before making your final
decision, be sure to check with
the local ASCS office regard
ing the exact requirements for
your compliance and for any
recent changes or announce
ments regarding the program.
Picture Credit
Royal visit to senior citizens
residence at Pioneer Memo
rial Hospital is made by
Morrow County Rodeo Queen
Donna Palmer, left, and
Princesses Laurie Childers
and Kim Pettyjohn. The rodeo
court is shown here going over
events at this year's rodeo
with resident Elsie Ayers, a
longtime cook in Heppner
before retirement.
Helen T. Crowell
Helen T. Crowell, wife of the
Rev. Walter Crowell, who
served as pastor of lone
United Church of Christ dur
ing the 1960s, died June 2 in
Salem of an apparent heart
attack.
The Crowelis had been
living in retirement in Wood
burn since leaving lone in
1967. They moved to lone in
1963.
Mrs. Crowell was born June
9, 1900 in Jersey City, N.J.
Memorial services were
held June 5 in Hubbard
Community Church.
Sponsored By
RAY
BOYCE
INSURANCE
228 N. Main St. Happntr 676-9625
June 19
Morrow County School
Board, 8 p.m. Lexington office
Babe Ruth League baseball,
Morrow County vs Stanfield, 7
p.m., lone
Chamber of Commerce,
noon, West of Willow
June 20
Summer reading program . '
for children begins at lone
City Library, 2-4 p.m. Story
hour starts 3 p.m.
Babe Ruth Baseball, Mor
row County vs. Inland Em
pire, 7 p.m., lone.
JEt
While Heppner was preparing for Flag Day ceremonies
60 years ago this week, the city received news of the death of
a local serviceman-the first Morrow County man to die
during the World War I U.S. military buildup.
Arthur Chappel of Hardman drowned while undergoing
training for the 16th Cavalry in San Benito, Tex.
According the Gazette-Times, Chappel, 28, was
"well-known in Heppner, where he worked in the transfer
business with Mr. Barnard for a while."
Meanwhile, during that same week, 47 Morrow
Countians registered for the draft, as the military buildup
moved into full swing against Germany and her allies. The
draft age was then 21.
In mid-June of 1918, representatives from eight
grain-growing Eastern Oregon communities met to fix farm
labor prices for the harvest season. As a result of the
meeting, common laborers during haying and the grain
harvest were to get $3.50 for a day's work, with stackers and
loaders receiving $4 per day. At the top of the not-too-lofty
pay scale were header and harvest drivers and sack sewers,
who all rated $5 a day. Cooks had to settle for $3.
A proposal for reducing the work day to 10 hours was
' soundly voted down during the wage fixing meeting.
In another development in Heppner 60 years ago, Mayor
W.W. Smeal warned that anyone exceeding Heppner's 15
mile per hour speed limit would be "arrested and prosecuted
to the fullest extent of the law."
Rangeland conditions were so dry in Morrow County 60
years ago this week that the local passenger train between
Heppner and Heppner Junction was forced to stop 17 times on
one trip, so that its crew could fight grass fires that broke out
from sparks from the locomotive.
Fifty years ago this week, the Gazette-Times reported
that Archie Cochran was killed "by an accidental discharge
of a rifle at his farm home near lone."
That same week, the destructive parasite Alfalfa
Nematode was discovered in hay stands along Willow Creek,
and mountain range near Hardman was leasing for 15 cents
per acre.
Forty years ago this week, ground was broken for a new
100 by 45 foot "Heppner swimming tank," being built by
Civilian Conservation Corps boys. The new facility came into
being through the efforts of the local Lions' Club, which sold
shares in the pool to a number of area businessmen and
individuals.
Heppner had been without a swim facility since April of
1934, "when the cloudburst of that date dismantled the
former American Legion tank," the Gazette-Times reported.
During mid-June of 1938, the first contract was let for
oiling the Heppner-Rhea Creek Road, after county court
members gave a state highway commissioner a tour of the
thoroughfare. The state road man was "definitely impressed
with the importance of the road," the Gazette-Times
reported.
In the same week, Guy Money, an employe of a Walla
Walla auctioneering firm, was "painfully injured when run
over by two obstreperous colts at the Charles Jones auction"
in Morrow County, according to the Gazette-Times.
A flash Tlood swept through Kinzua during this week in
1948, inundating Frank Wilson's home with more than three
feet of water, and depositing mud and rocks inside the
Pastime, Jeffmore Hall, and the Ladies' Club kitchen. In
addition, the Gazette-Times reported, "any number of miles
of roadbeds were washed away."
But it was not only big news that made that June 1938
issue. Mrs. G.W. Swanson of lone made page three when a
reporter learned she was "suffering from an infected
thumb." Ginger Rogers and James Stewart were featured in
the then-current attraction at the Star Theater, titled
"Vivacious Lady."
Also in mid-June 40 years ago, "Indian George," a
Umatilla Indian whose formal name was Henry George, was
acquitted in Morrow County Circuit Court of charges that he
"maliciously destroyed fences and drove stock off the range
in the Porter Creek district."
George was successfully represented in the Heppner
courtroom by attorney Vawter Parker.
Elks Calendar
Thursday, June 15
No Lodge
Fun Night
Friday, June 16
Live Music
Steak & Sea Food Dinner
6:30 p.m.
Saturday, June 17
Live Music
Steak & Sea Food Dinner
- 6:30 p.m.
Members and out - of
Letters Policy
ALL LETTERS of general interest are welcomed,
providing they are in good taste and not libelous.
250 WORDS IS about the maximum length we can
accept, however, if you need more space, please use
it.
ALL LETTERS MUST be signed to be considered. If
you wish to have your name withheld for good
cause we will do so after contacting you for an
explanation.
TELEPHONE NUMBERS should be included. The
number will only be used by the Gazette-Times to
confirm it was you who wrote the letter.
THE GAZETTE-TIMES reserves the right to refuse
any letter it deems unfit for publication.
LETTERS SHOULD BE addressed to Editor,
Gazette-Times, P.O. Box 337, Hppner, Ore., 97836.
Tuesday, June 20
Senior Citizens 4:30 p.m.
Wednesday, June 21
Senior Citizens 4:30 p.m.
Scouts 7:30 p.m.
Thursday, June 22
Lodge 8:00 p.m.
Big Kitty
- town guests only.